5 Ways to Stay Motivated to Exercise

Let me be your motivation🎶…Sike! There seems to be this notion that seeking motivation externally is the thing to do. It ain’t. I follow a curvy fit lifestyle. It’s the word lifestyle for me. What about you? If you’re reading this, you may curious about my perspective on how to stay motivated. Keep reading so you can transform into a disciplined curvy athlete who understands that motivation must be within and manifested in action. Let’s get into these 5 ways to stay motivated as a curvy, plus size athlete.

#1 Kill the Excuses

First things first, you stop the foolery and kill the excuses. If you are not new to me, you knew this was gonna be #1. If not, it just wouldn’t be me😀! There’s always something going on in this thing called life. Anybody can find an endless amount of excuses not to do what they don’t want to do. But here…in the Curvy Fit Chicks Community, we are a different breed. But if you find yourself struggling keep reading so you can upgrade your mindset. Yes let me upgrade ya! This is how you do it.

• Know your nonnegotiables

  These are great for deterring excuses from taking root. Nonnegotiables include the reasons why being curvy fit is important to you. Chile..the gotta be so solid that nothing can destabilize your position or footing. You will stay the path of this fitness lifestyle no matter what. See for me, being disciplined in my training is a nonnegotiable. Everything else can be rearranged around my training schedule. You can ask anyone who knows me. I don’t play about that. What is it for you?

• Be totally committed

  It is imperative that you are real with ya-self here. You know your commitment level to your curvy health. The stronger your commitment, the easier it is to dismiss excuses. You got to be in it to win it.

• Know your priorities

  Sit down and write them out. Be clear and execute. A confused mind is a festering ground for excuses. Know the purpose of each priority and its benefit for your life.

Ain’t nobody got time for excuses! Period! You are in control of your thoughts and decisions. Nothing can stop you, but you. So examine yourself and be intentional. Schedule a consult for better clarity.

#2 Have a Fitness Goal(s)

This one right here is one of the best ways to stay focused because you know what you are working towards. There’s a destination in mind. Goals help you persevere to succeed. So tell me..what are your fitness goals? Do you have any? Let’s chat about different ones to keep you motivated to go harder.

• Do a fitness event

  Training for a fitness event allows your mind to focus on creating a plan to succeed at that event. For example, Team Curvy Fit Chicks is currently training for the Brutal Fitness Challenge Obstacle Course. This event takes place in November 2021 so we are disciplined in our workouts knowing that each time a workout is completed, we’re that much closer to being ready to excel at the obstacle course challenge. You can choose whichever event that you are interested in to concentrate your focus on. Some other events that people train for are: marathons, triathlons, bike races, etc.

• Achieve a particular exercise

  Think about what exercise you find most difficult and work on strengthening your body to do so. For me, it was pushups because of the severe injury to my left arm that left it at minimal functional capacity. I was determined to regain my strength and use of my left arm. It has been challenging over the last 5 years to make it to this point but I’m so glad that I persevered. I started with practicing good form. It was an achievement to be able to hold my body up finally without my arm flopping down. It continued bit by better improving and now I can do several different types of pushups and do on a regular basis in my workout routine. Next goal is improving my running. What is the exercise that you want to master?

• Improve your speed

  Speaking of running, one of my goals is to improve my speed. Everytime I run in the sand, I work on being better and faster than I was before. I have to say that improving speed and form goes hand in hand. Sidebar: A mistake I often witness is people working out to beat the clock and in turn end up doing improper form and getting injured. Don’t do that. But I say that challenging yourself to go faster is a way to keep you motivated to do your best each and every time you are out there. I sometimes play music in my head like the Rocky song or Push it to the Limit to go faster. It takes time to see the results but they most certainly come.

#3 Find a Supportive Community

Girlll….when you train with other curvy and/or plus size athletes who are disciplined and doing their thang, you will be positively influenced to do the same. Having the right people around you who are fitness minded and align with your beliefs and goals with reinforce your values and continue to challenge and inspire you. Here are a few examples of people to have in your community:

• Curvy Fit Chicks

We are the epitome of support. I love it but of course I may be biased. Seriously though, being in the environment with Curvy Fit Chicks is energetic, supportive, and motivating. There is nothing comparable to be in the midst of like minded, like bodied women who get it! We know the importance of staying healthy and fit as women, mothers, and leaders. We are self motivated yet the discipline is contagious and keeps you motivated.

• Fitness Trainer

Of course I have to mention that working with a professional Fitness Trainer will most definitely give you the push to continually do better in your workouts. The good thing about an expert Fitness Trainer is that he/she will continue assess where you are and adjust your training accordingly. You will never get bored. Chillleee the Fitness Guru who trains me is always coming up with exercises that I have never seen anyone do. I’m excited and anxious every time I go to a workout session because it ain’t no telling what he’ll have me doing!

• Family/Friends

Now when you workout with family and friends this is another way to stay motivated. However, you can’t have everyone as a workout partner. You have to choose your family/friends who are actually as serious or even more serious about the active lifestyle as you. This ain’t the time to share your time with folks who are just faking the funk or full of excuses. Don’t feel bad about it either. You have curvy fitness goals to achieve. You cannot allow anyone to hold you back. Your life depends on it. Know which ones to choose and all will be well.

“We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.”

— Jim Rohn

#4 Acknowledge Your Wins

I can’t stress to you enough how important it is to acknowledge your wins. In fact, I dedicate a space in the Curvy Fit Chicks Community on Clubhouse on Wednesdays to give you and others the opportunity to share your wins. I know we are taught not to boast and be prideful. I agree with that. But let’s not confuse boasting with appreciation. Look curvy fit madam…you are working hard to persevere in the curvy fit lifestyle and there’s no need to keep it a secret. I know you may not always WANT to go do your workouts on your scheduled days but you most certainly do it.

Story time: I used to be hesitant and afraid of saying anything about my accomplishments for fear of sounding prideful or making others feel bad. I grew up in a very Pentecostal environment so I was indoctrinated in being humble. I had to come to an realization through personal development and maturity that acknowledging my wins was a necessity not a point of contention. Chillleee I was delivered from that way of thinking of now I will shout them from the mountaintop because in my celebration there is gratitude and deep appreciation to how far I have come in this healing and curvy fitness journey.

So how does this improve your self motivation?

• Builds your confidence

• Improves your performance

• Empowers you

• Dispels fears and negative self talk

These are just some of the ways that reflecting, verbalizing and writing out your wins in your workouts keeps you fully charged and focused on continuing this curvy fit lifestyle. Don’t discount your greatness or take your progress for granted.

#5 Remember Where You Began

In continuation with the point above, you must always remember where you began. I know for me, when I think of how far I have come since the multiple injuries of the flipover truck accident in 2016, I am nonnegotiable in my decision to stay fit. Reminiscing on the past, makes you grateful for the present and ready for the future. So how do we do this?

• Review your past wins

  Now depending on what works best for you, will determine how you do this. In the beginning of my journey I didn’t keep track of my wins and I regret that. Why? Because on those days when I was down or looking at myself in clothes I’d get discouraged and question what I had been doing. The thing that helped me most was going back in my mind to remember how disciplined I’d been in going to workouts and the progress I’d made since then. Reviewing my past wins gave me proof that I could do it and will continue to do it well. I felt ready to conquer the next exercise, workout, crop top and life!

• Evaluate your progress

  This is a biggie. I want you to really look at all the progress you have made spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

  Remember when you thought you had to lose weight to be valued or to be sexy?

  Remember when you thought you had to be able to run a marathon to be an athlete?

  Remember when you discounted your strength?

  Remember when you cared about the opinions of others who made comments about your body?

  Remember when you couldn’t give yourself permission to rest without guilt?

  Remember when you didn’t know how to be patient and show love to yourself?

  Remember when you couldn’t do 1 pushup and now you are up to 5?

  I can’t stress enough that knowing and acknowledging your progress is essential to shifting your mindset into a CAN DO and HAVE DONE attitude. Keep moving forward because there is transformation happening at every stage.

Now that you are motivated and inspired, go and do it. You will learn as you grow in this active lifestyle that motivation as most discuss it may not always be there. However, when you know deep down without a shadow of doubt why you have chosen this lifestyle, you will stay committed to it. If for some reason you need to better clarify this, schedule a call.